


Of Lemongrass and French Vanilla

by Nunchi_Writes



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Attempted Murder, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Injury, Don't Worry Jongdae Saves the Day, F/M, I promise it's not as bad as it seems guys, Kidnapping, Swearing, Violence, Werewolf Mates, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2019-09-24 11:36:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17099855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nunchi_Writes/pseuds/Nunchi_Writes
Summary: His brothers had told him that finding your mate was like finding a scent that sends you into a state of pure, unadulterated ecstasy. Personally, he had hoped that for him, that scent was of lemongrass and french vanilla.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Language, Attempted Murder, ~~Mysterious/Protective/Sexy Kim Jongdae~~
> 
>  
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAUNA ([@exosmutxoxo on tumblr](https://exosmutxoxo.tumblr.com/)) I hope this story finds you well, and that you are surviving college! Sending you all my love and hope that your birthday was everything you hoped it would be~ It’s a slow burn, but I promise the story comes together in the end ;)

“ _Damn it_ ,” You hissed.

 

The clerk lady on the other side of the desk pressed her lips into a thin line. “I’m very sorry ma’am, but there was, in fact, a mix up with your luggage. We’ll do everything we can to locate which flight it’s with and return it to you as soon as we’re able.”

 

You tapped your foot on the ground in frustration. After sending the airport employee one last pleading glance, you hesitantly scooted out of line, allowing the mass of people behind you to try and resolve their own dilemmas.

 

 _Well,_ You stuck your hands into your pockets angrily, biting your lip with fervor.  _There’s nothing to be done about it now. At least I’ve still got my carry-on._

 

It was raining outside of the airport.  _Of course_  it was raining. After staying huddled underneath the awning for twenty minutes, you were finally able to hail a cab. You quickly flung yourself into the backseat, your damp hair clinging to your face.

 

“Where to, miss?” The driver asked.

 

“Oh, right,” You were a discombobulated mess, still disgruntled from getting the news that your luggage had been lost. You rummaged through your small carry-on backpack, pulling out a heap of crumpled, wet papers. After finding the one you’d been looking for, you squinted to make out the smeared ink. “Let’s see… 223 Cedarwood Plaza.”

 

The driver nodded to himself, redirecting his attention to the road and pulling out of the valet lot.

 

“Heading to Cedarwood University then, I presume?”

 

“Yes sir,” You struggled to get out of your wet jacket, cramped in the backseat. “Just got back from vacation. This’ll be my second year here.”

 

“ _Wah_ ,” The cab driver let out a huff in surprise. “That there is one of the most expensive private institutions in the country. Way up in the mountains, too.”

 

“It is. I like it though.” You hummed. “This year I was able to find a roommate online and share her apartment rent, so I won’t have to live on-campus.”

 

“Sounds like a good deal,” The driver took the exit off the main road, taking the one the lead upwards into the mountains, and away from the big city. “‘Hope it goes well for ya.”

 

“Thank you.” You nodded briskly in gratitude.

 

The ten minutes that remained on the trip up the mountain were spent in silence. It seemed as though everywhere you looked, there were seas of pine trees as far as the eye could see. You pulled your phone from your jacket pocket, wiping the excess water off the touchscreen. You unlocked it, immediately tapping the screen to check your messages.

 

 

 

> **Yoori (Future Roommate)**

> **0 New Messages**
> 
> **18 Unread Messages**

 

You bit the inside of your cheek.

 

_She hasn’t responded to any of my texts since yesterday…_

 

 

 

You pushed the thought aside, reminding yourself that you’d see her soon enough when you got to the small town adjacent to the school.

 

Soon enough, the cab pulled into the roundabout that was at the foot of the apartment complex. You threw the few belongings you had back into your knapsack, thanking and paying the driver before scooching out of the backseat. The cab puttered off, leaving you alone at the foot of the large, rustic building. Calling it vintage would’ve been an understatement. Everything was stone and brick, and for all you knew, it could’ve been constructed in the nineteenth century. You knew this beforehand from the pictures posted online, however, and as off-campus residency was competitive, it didn’t matter that much to you. It was a bit of a drive to get to the university, being on the outskirts of the podunk town that the school thrived on, but both you and Yoori agreed to use her car to get to campus.

 

You had to use both hands to pull open the huge wooden double-doors, but with enough effort, you were able to enter into the apartment commons. You walked up to the desk in the center, where an older woman leaned against her chair, smoking a cigarette.

 

“Excuse me,” You smiled hesitantly. “I’m the new resident in apartment 223.”

 

The old lady took a long puff of her cigarette, looking you up and down with a scrutinous look. Without a word, she opened a dusty drawer and handed you a thin metal key. Taking in another deep breath of her smoke, she jabbed her thumb in the direction of the staircase to your left.

 

“Thank you.” You mumbled, bowing your head shortly.

 

After climbing two flights of stairs to arrive at the upper level, you walked through the hall, and took a right at the intersection labeled “215-225”. Your apartment was at the end of the hall, and once you got there, it took you a bit to get the rusty key into the doorknob correctly. The door creaked as you pushed it open, and despite the antique exterior, the apartment itself was fairly modern. The furniture was contemporary, and the kitchen was recently renovated, just as the article online had showed.

 

“Hello?” You called out, peering your head through the doorway in search of your roommate. “… _Yoori_?”

 

You walked in, setting your bag down on the small loveseat before taking out your phone and unlocking it.

 

 

 

> **Yoori (Future Roommate)**

> **0 New Messages**
> 
> **18 Unread Messages**

 

Biting the inside of your cheek, you began to type.

 

 

 

> _Hey Yoori, I’m here. I don’t know if you’re busy or something, but can you at least tell me where you are, or when you’ll be back? Thanks in advance._

 

The sun was just beginning to tinge the horizon line. At the low grumble of your stomach, you decided to see if there was anything small in the kitchen cabinet you could raid. After opening the cabinets, however, you found that there was almost nothing there. A few bowls and cups that didn’t match, along with three bags of ramen were the only things in it.

 

_Odd…_

 

Taking one of the bags of ramen from the pantry, you quickly ripped it open. Upon thinking that it’d be better to keep things tidy, you decided to eat it dry. After munching on ramen for a few minutes, you checked your phone again.

 

 

 

> **Yoori (Future Roommate)**

> **0 New Messages**
> 
> **19 Unread Messages**

 

_Still no response._

 

Since it was still before dusk, you decided to peek around the apartment a little. You and Yoori shared a bedroom, but it was large enough to have two separate, full-sized beds. As you neared Yoori’s side of the room, you noticed that all of her stuff seemed to be perfectly in place. As you examined the neatness of her desktop and wardrobe, you noticed a small, pink post-it note on the vanity mirror.

 

 

 

> _“I’ll be out for a bit, but while I’m gone, feel free to use any of my stuff. Car keys are in the drawer._
> 
> _-Yoori”_

 

 _‘Out for a bit,’ huh?_ You scoffed. _How long will that be?_

 

Leaving the note on the desk, you thought it best to take a hot shower and relax a little. Inside the bathroom, there was a singular white robe, but no towels. Although you found the lack of hygiene supplies odd, you shrugged it off, quick to turn the knosel of the shower on full and hop in once the water was steaming.

 

After finishing your shower, you plucked the robe from its hanger and threw it on. It was soft, cool, and smelled strongly of lavender, allowing your muscles some much-needed relaxation. As you plopped down on your bed, your mind began to question the absence of your roommate. After jumping from the probable to the worst-case scenario, you dismissed your doubts. You slowly drifted off to sleep, telling yourself that she’d show up in the morning to get to class, coming home late from a party or something of the sort.

 

* * *

 

 

Except she didn’t.

 

Your phone alarm went off at 7:00am sharp, causing you to groan in discomfort. The room was covered in the deep blue hue of the early morning, giving you just enough light for you to see where you were going.

 

“Yoori?” You croaked, your lips cracked and dry from sleep. You looked across the room. Not a thing was out of place; she was still missing. Still in your robe, you staggered out of the bedroom and into the living area. “…Yoori?”

 

You quickly pulled your phone from the robe’s oversized pockets.

 

 

 

> **Yoori (Future Roommate)**

> **0 New Messages**
> 
> **19 Unread Messages**

 

You squinted, your eyes adjusting to the brightness of the screen.

 

 

 

> _Hey, I know you aren’t back yet. I hope everything’s alright._

 

The cool air ghosted across your skin, reminding you of your current predicament. You frowned, continuing to type.

 

 

 

> _I also hope you don’t mind me using some of your clothes. They still haven’t found my baggage yet._

 

You hit send. Realizing you didn’t have that much time to get ready, you skittered back over to the bedroom. As much as you didn’t want to impede on your roommate’s personal belongings, you sure as hell weren’t showing up on the first day of class in your dank, wet pile of clothes. Yoori was almost the same build as you, luckily enough, and you were able to find a skirt and simple t-shirt within her chest-of-drawers. You changed quickly, noticing that her clothes had the same aroma as the white robe you had on. A powerful lavender smell. You blew it off, taking it as a sign that, if nothing else, the clothes were clean.

 

Although you had a list a mile long of questions, you needed to get to campus before your 8:00am class started. You pulled out the vanity drawer and took the keys that were inside, grabbing your knapsack and running out the door without a second thought.

 

* * *

 

_  
_

_He had just received the orders._

_  
_

She  _was his first assignment._

_  
_

_Although he had never been asked to take on this type of job before, he felt confident. He was, admittedly, one of the strongest members his pack had to offer. The alpha was no doubt testing his abilities. He convinced himself that he had taken on harder tasks, and that this would be no different than any of the other duties he had to fulfill to carry his weight within the pack._

_  
_

_And yet-_

_  
_

_Something felt off._

_  
_

_Different._

_  
_

Wrong _._

_  
_

_He shook his head to ward off the doubtful thoughts, taking a harsh bite out of the apple he had been holding on to._

_  
_

_‘Get a hold of yourself.’ He hissed to himself._

_  
_

_His mind wandered to the discussion that took place earlier that day. As the years began egg on, so did talk of the pack’s future; of_ mates _. His brothers had told him that finding your mate was like finding a scent that sends you into a state of pure, unadulterated ecstasy._

_  
_

  
  
Personally, he had hoped that for him, that scent was of lemongrass and french vanilla.

 

* * *

 

The morning went by in a blur. Class syllabuses were being handed out, subscriptions to textbooks assigned, and before you knew it, it was time for lunch. The campus was rather compact, full of I.T. and Med students with a crazy amount of money to be studying here. You worked hard to pass the scholarship examinations, and were given several grants to fund your education. You found that most of the kids here were severely privileged; their parents molding them to be the world’s next batch of snooty geniuses.

 

It didn’t take long for you to feel isolated. Lonely. While you weren’t normally known to be a social butterfly, you did have a very close friend that had the same major as you. The two of you hit it off almost immediately, and relied on each other for almost everything.

 

But, due to a skiing injury, she was still in the hospital, and wouldn’t be discharged for another two weeks.

 

You sighed, taking your tray of cafeteria food with you to the furthest corner possible. Something seemed off about today. Sure, people oogled at you and snickered behind your back that you didn’t belong here, but today, you were virtually invisible. Despite wanting to approach the semester with confidence, you felt nothing but gloom thus far.

 

A chill traversed from the nape of your neck down your spine.

 

As you continued to peck at your food, you couldn’t help but feel that, although you were practically invisible to the sea of people around you, there were a pair of eyes coming from a place you could not see, burning a hole straight through your chest.

 

* * *

 

 

 

_He saw her there. Isolated. Alone._

_  
_

_She rubbed her arms, seeking some semblance of warmth in the place of a jacket she’d most likely forgotten._

_  
_

_He continued to press his back against the column he was leaning on, crossing his arms as his eyes narrowed at his intended target. His jaw clenched, his gaze becoming more scrutinous as he watched her stand up, throw her tray away, and begin to leave._

_  
_

_She was an easy target._

_  
_

_Easier than he expected._

_  
_

_He watched her trip over her own feet as she tried to weave through the crowd. He scoffed._

_  
_

_‘This can’t seriously be the girl.’ He huffed within the recesses of his mind. To invalidate his concern, he took in a long, drawn out breath, honing in on the scent of his target._

_  
_

_No, it’s definitely her._

_  
_

_And still, it felt as though there was a nail pinning his doubts to the back of his mind, alarming him of some obscure peril. His heart thudded inside of his chest. Adrenaline was beginning to course through his veins at the thought of the oncoming pursuit. Adrenaline that both encouraged his inner beast to hunt his prey, and screamed at him that something was awry._

_  
_

_He shoved those thoughts deep down once more, keening his focus to the mission ahead._

_  
_

_His first mission as an Omega._

_  
_

_His first mission to **kill**._

 

* * *

 

 

The day droned on, and it seemed like an eternity had passed before your last class was over. The sun was peeking out from behind the endless rows of pine trees, tinting the sky amber. You were quick to shove what you could into your small backpack before throwing it over your shoulder and heading straight for the library. It was a little past 6:00pm, and you needed to pick up your textbooks before it closed at 7:00.

 

You kept a brisk pace as you navigated the winding hallways towards your destination. Once past the large glass doors, you went to work searching for your reading materials. The textbooks you needed were thick, and they were many. After discussing your syllabus with the librarian, a pile of six massive textbooks was plopped unceremoniously on the desk in front of you. Taking a deep breath, you shuffled the bulking weight of them into your arms. At your height, you could barely see over them. You thanked the librarian, stepping slowly and with overt caution towards the direction of the door.

 

Just as you turned around the last aisle of books, however, you collided with another entity directly in front of you.

 

“Agh!” You tripped over your own feet, desperately trying to keep the stack of books you were carrying from falling over.

 

Just as the top two textbooks began to slide from their place, you felt their weight disappear. Hands were placed on either side of them, removing them just as they were about to fall, and lifting them from you.

 

As the top two books left, so did your vision barrier.

 

You bit back a stifled gasp.

 

The person you had just ungracefully crashed into was a boy; one that couldn’t have been much older than you.

 

One that was abnormally, inhumanly beautiful.

 

“Oh God-” You sputtered, realizing that you almost mowed him over, “I’m so sorry, I couldn’t- I didn’t-… Thanks for helping.”

 

“Hey, it’s not problem.” The boy’s voice matched his good looks, making it hard for you to stay calm. “Where are you off too with these?”

 

“Just to my car,” You stepped forward, motioning for the boy to put the two books back on the stack you were carrying. “It isn’t too far.”

 

The boy put both textbooks back onto the pile, but to your surprise, slid his hands down to pick up four of the six you were carrying.

 

At your confused expression, he chuckled. “I can help carry your books for you.”

 

You shook your head, protesting. “No, no, no, it’s alright, I don’t need someone-”

 

“-Jongdae.” He grinned.

 

“- _Jongdae_ ,” You corrected, “-To help me carry them.”

 

As you reached to take the books back, Jongdae moved his arms to the side, nimbly evading you. He sent you a stubborn smirk.

 

“I’m serious,” You deadpanned, “I’m really not in the position to owe anyone any favors.”

 

“Who says you’d be owing me a favor?” Jongdae’s eyebrows tipped. “What if I just want to be nice.”

 

You bit the inside of your cheek, struggling to keep yourself composed. “People aren’t just nice.”

 

You reached for the books again, and again, he dodged.

 

“Well then, what if I want to talk to you?” Jongdae’s head cocked to the side, clearly amused. “You didn’t speak a word during class introductions today.”

 

_He’s in one of my classes?_

 

You took a step back, straightening yourself and building up enough courage to glare at him eye-to-eye.

 

“Pretty boys don’t talk to quiet girls.”

 

“Is that so?” Jongdae leaned in, his face unnervingly close to yours. “I care to disagree.”

 

“Agree, disagree, it really doesn’t make a difference.” Your fingers clenched tightly around the edges of the books you were carrying.

 

Jongdae seemed to pick up on your discomfort, and his tone shifted drastically.

 

“Hey, listen,” He spoke softly. “If you’re really uncomfortable with me carrying your books, then that’s okay. But it’s getting late, and I don’t think you should walk to your car alone. At least let me come with you.”

 

As much as Jongdae appeared to be nothing more than the average popular jock you frequently came across, he seemed genuinely concerned.

 

“Alright,” You relented, beginning to walk past him. You spoke softly under your breath. “Thanks for the help.”

 

Jongdae beamed as he trailed alongside you, holding the door open with his foot as the two of you exited the library.

 

The hallways were barren, as most students had already finished their evening classes and had returned to the dormitories. The sun was almost completely obscured behind the mountainside as you and Jongdae walked down the corridors in silence.

 

After a few moments, Jongdae spoke quietly, “To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting you to agree to this that easily.”

 

You let out a nervous laugh. “I mean, it is just a pile of books, after all. Right?”

 

The moment you finished speaking, you could’ve sworn you heard a low, definitive growl originating from where Jongdae was, walking right beside you. Your palms grew sweaty.

 

“A pile of books…” Jongdae’s voice lowered. You began to get nervous. “Was that all it was to you?”

 

“W-what?”

 

“Was his life  _that_ meaningless to you?” The growling noise returned, causing your hair to stand on end. “So meaningless that you’d try to kill him?”

 

“Jongdae-”

 

It all happened too fast. You were silenced before you could finish your question. In the blink of an eye, Jongdae had shoved you against the wall with inhuman force. You gasped for air upon collision, the textbooks forgotten as they dropped to the floor at your feet.

 

Before you could process what was happening, Jongdae wrapped his arm around your throat, beginning to drag you down the dim hallway. You clawed at his hands desperately, but you were met only with despair in the realization that he was extremely well-built. Using his free arm, Jongdae threw open the door to the hallway utility closet, dragging you inside with him. His tight grip around your throat kept you from releasing any noise other than choked sobs. You were kicking and flailing like a rabid animal at this point, survival the sole thing on your mind.

 

“You should’ve known this was coming to you.” Jongdae growled. You cried out in pain as you were shoved against the wall roughly. Jongdae’s hands were at your throat now, pressing tightly. “You should’ve run while you still had the chance.”

 

In the darkness of the closet, all you could make out was Jongdae’s once-brown eyes, gazing menacingly into your own with a vicious shade of red. His eyes seemed to glow, to pierce your own in a way that instilled genuine terror deep within your gut. You continued to struggle frantically, the dim shadows in your field of vision losing form as the supply of oxygen to your brain was cut off.

 

“Stop struggling.” Jongdae hissed. “Face the consequences of your actions with a little dignity.”

 

Using every ounce of energy you had left within you, you surged your knee forwards with as much force as you could manage. The blow to Jongdae’s crotch was successful, sending him to the ground in a crumpled heap as he recoiled in pain.

 

You immediately heaved in and out, desperate to have air return to your lungs. Your vision became clearer, and before Jongdae had the chance to recuperate, you darted past him. Still panting heavily, you quickly looked to your left and right. After spotting the restroom sign, you ran as fast as your oxygen-deprived body would permit. You skidded on the tiles as you ran into the bathroom. Knowing full-well Jongdae was hot on your heels, you opted to hide in the very last stall, opting to stand on the rim of the toilet.

 

As soon as you balanced yourself, you heard the bathroom door slam open. You covered your mouth in an attempt to keep yourself quiet.

 

“Are we really going to play hide and seek?” Jongdae’s voice taunted. “You know it’s pointless. I can smell you.”

 

 _What the hell?_ You bit your lip, hot tears streaming down your cheeks.  _Of course he’s psychotic._ Of course  _he’s psychotic. Just my fucking luck._

 

You flinched, almost falling off of your stance on the toilet as Jongdae began kicking down each of the stall doors. He was going one by one, taking his time as he approached the end of the line. Each time he kicked open a stall, you winced, biting down hard on the palm of your hand to stay quiet. Suddenly, an idea popped inside your head. You rustled through the back pocket of your knapsack as quietly as you could.

 

_Where is it? Come on, come on, where is it?!_

 

Soon enough, Jongdae was just outside your stall.

 

Your heart thundered in your ears as the air was thick with several, prolonged seconds of silence.

 

Jongdae’s foot collided with the door, nearly ripping it from its hinges. You let go of the scream you had been holding. Before Jongdae could pounce, however, your instincts kicked in. Right as he lunged, you extended your hand, pressing down hard on the nozzle to your can of pepper spray.

 

Jongdae staggered backwards instantaneously, roaring as he clutched his face. He was hunched over now, clawing at the chemicals that stung deep into his eyes.

 

Without another moment of hesitation, you hopped off the toilet and made a beeline for the door. Skidding on the damp tile, you rounded the corner, nearly reaching the exit when-

 

A tight hand clasped itself around your ankle and yanked harshly, sending you crashing to the ground. You cried out in desperation as Jongdae pulled you towards him. You clawed feebly at the tile, trying to gain any space you could between you and the man trying to kill you.

 

Inevitably, your attempts proved futile, as Jongdae flipped you around on your back. He hovered over you know, using his arms to pin you underneath him. You whimpered as you were forced to stare directly into his eyes. Not only were his irises red, his entire face had morphed into one of pure rage, his pupils dilated, fueled by aggressive adrenaline.

 

Your heart thudded uncontrollably in your chest as Jongdae began to open his mouth. You eyes widened as you watched his canines lengthen to an inhuman degree. He bared his fangs, staring deep into your fearful gaze as he closed the small distance between you. Tears poured down your face as Jongdae trailed from the tip of your ear, down the side of your cheek, to your neck.

 

 _This is it._  You swallowed the painfully hard lump in your throat, drawing in a breath you expected to be your last.  _I’m going to die._

 

As Jongdae’s fangs trailed down the side of your neck, however, he froze. Suddenly, all of his muscles locked into place. He stayed there for several seconds, his body statue-still and unmoving. Your chest heaved air in and out of your system rapidly, but you were too scared to move.

 

You didn’t know how long the two of you stayed like this; him hovering over you, his face buried in the crook of your neck, you pinned underneath him, frozen in terror.

 

There was a long pause.

 

Jongdae took a long, drawn out breath in, keeping his face pressed against your skin.

 

Another long pause.

 

Jongdae exhaled, just as deeply, remaining still as stone.

 

Then, in excruciating slow motion, Jongdae pulled himself away from you, taking what seemed like an eternity. He sat back on his knees, staring at the ground, emotionless. You were still panting heavily, but noticed that his eyes had returned to normal, along with the rest of his facial features.

 

Slowly, Jongdae’s gaze travelled from the tile floor to connect with your own.

 

“Oh,  _shit_ … This is not good.” He spoke quietly, as though trying to convince himself of the words he was speaking. “This is-  _fuck_ , this is all wrong.”

 

His eyes widened, as if an epiphany had hit him like a gunshot. He sat back, running his hands through his smoothed brown locks in panic.

 

“No… No, no, no, no…  _Fucking hell_.” Jongdae chanted in denial.

 

“… _You’re not her_.”

 

You barely had the consciousness to hear the words he spoke, your vision waning. Soon enough, the panic, adrenaline, and lack of oxygen combined forced your system to collapse upon itself, sending your mind into a dark abyss.

 

* * *

 

 

Your consciousness returned with a violent, throbbing headache. Soft cushions pressed against your back as you lay on your side. Your limbs felt as though they weighed of lead and iron, too heavy to move. Your eyelids felt as though they were made of sandpaper, the rough dryness agitating your eyes as they opened slowly.

 

A living room. Rustic. Countrystyle. The glow of the sunset burning through the glass pane windows being the only source of light. As your vision came into focus, you noticed that the front door lay across the room, just past the low coffee table and old leather armchairs. Shakily, you used your forearms to heave yourself until you sat upright, realizing you had been placed on a dingy, stain-covered sofa.

 

Quickly giving yourself the once-over, you saw that you had not been bound, not was there any sign of inflicted abuse. You let out a short sigh of relief.

 

“That’s what I’m saying, Junmyeon,” A familiar voice from the neighboring room caused your hair to stand on end. “We screwed up big time. We missed the opportunity to kill her then, so we have to do it now, before she has the chance to get away.”

 

_Missed the opportunity._

_  
_

_Kill her then._

_  
_

_Do it now._

 

The words rung in your head like an incantation of death.

 

You needed to escape.  _Now_.

 

Setting your eyes for the door, you slowly slid yourself off of the couch, struggling to find balance as you stood.

 

“You and me are the only ones who know about this.” You heard Jongdae’s voice again as you crept behind the pieces of furniture in succession. “Chanyeol and the others need to be told before things get messy.”

 

_Just a little farther._

 

The doorway to the adjacent room was open. You saw a flash of brown hair, darting behind the armchair for cover. Jongdae turned on his heels, listening intently to the phone that was pressed up against his ear, apparently pacing.

 

Once he disappeared from view, you made a break for it.

 

Scuttling across the hardwood floors, you reached the front door. You pressed your chest up against it, taking a deep breath in in relief of not being spotted. Your hand slid down the cool wood of the door to the handle. After giving it a test, you smiled.

 

It was unlocked.

 

Pushing down ever so slowly, the door softly creaked into action. You silently thanked the heavens that its hinges remained noiseless. Pulling slowly, the crack in the door opened.

 

One inch.

 

Two inches.

 

Three inches.

 

_Just a bit more-_

 

A hand slammed hard against the wooden door. Your eyes trailed slowly from the ground up. Bare feet. Grey sweatpants. A white tee shirt. Inevitably, you eyes locked with a pair of bright oranges ones. Ones that burned a hole through your chest and intimidated you.

 

Ones belonging to Jongdae.

 

You turned on your heels and ran in a heartbeat. Darting through the maze of open doorways, you heard Jongdae behind you, hot on your heels. After sprinting and sliding through what seemed to be the dining room, you found yourself in the kitchen. Your eyes quickly locked onto the collection of kitchen knives across the counter and you ran for them. Your hand wrapped around the handle of one just as you felt strong arms wrap themselves around your waist.

 

You screamed, thrashing violently against Jongdae’s hold. He yelped in pain as you brought your heel down upon his foot, hard. His arms loosened enough for you to turn around and back up. You raised the knife above your head, preparing to bring it down with force. Jongdae’s hand reached up in the blink of an eye, intercepting your own and keeping it painfully locked above your head. The two of you grappled for several seconds, jockeying for control of your knife.

 

“Stop. Struggling.” Jongdae muttered breathlessly.

 

Suddenly, and with a loud snap, Jongdae twisted your wrist to an unnatural angle. Your fingers flexed, the knife clankering to the ground noisily. You cried out, clenching your eyes shut in pain as you felt the tendons being crushed under pressure.

 

You opened your eyes, and to your utter surprise, found Jongdae’s to be wide, surprised, and almost  _remorseful_ , as if he had used too much force on accident.

 

His caution was his blunder, however, as you used his hesitancy to your advantage. Before he had the chance to regain dominance, you surged your knee forwards, kicking him square in the nuts.

 

Jongdae immediately doubled over in pain. He dropped to his knees, releasing your hand and clutching the edge of the countertop until his knuckles turned white.

 

You ran past him, retracing your steps until you saw the living room. Bolting for the door, you grabbed the handle and threw it open, running out onto the porch that was just behind it.

 

It was a farmhouse of sorts, surrounded by several square miles of open grass before reaching the tree-line of the pine forests. Hearing scuffling noises behind you, you ran down the steps of the porch and into the field. Your destination was the tree-line, and by God you were going to make it.

 

“Stop!” You heard Jongdae’s voice as it slowly drowned out behind you. “Come back!”

 

Soon, all noise blurred into silence, leaving you with only the thrumming of your heart and the relentless panting of your lungs as you dashed to close the distance between you and the forest. It felt as though an eternity had passed, yet the pine trees only appeared to be slightly bigger. Your joints ached as they pushed forward, determined to carry you into the woods. Curiosity getting the better of you, you glanced over your shoulder, keeping your heated pace.

 

The house was significantly smaller, Jongdae but a tiny figure in the distance.

 

Just as you were about to recenter your focus ahead of you, you collided at high-velocity into a hard object. You were immediately knocked on your feet, your mind reeling at the pain of having crashed directly into what felt like a concrete wall. Shaking your head, you attempted to focus your vision.

 

You hadn’t crashed into a wall.

 

You hadn’t even crashed into a tree.

 

Instead, a tall young man with bright red hair, dressed in casual clothing stood before you.

 

And he looked  _pissed_.

 

He closed his eyes, taking a deep, prolonged breath in. Upon exhale, his eyes snapped open, revealing a threatening shade of crimson in place of their original color.

 

“It’s  _you_.” He growled. The dirt vibrated around you, and you began to scoot backwards. He followed you, taking slow, meticulous steps as you scrambled to gain distance. “Looks like you’re mine to kill.”

 

Your facial features scrunched and wrinkled in shock and disgust as you watched the man before you begin to deform. His joints cracked and bent at abnormal angles, his teeth elongating as saliva dripped from the tips of his canines. Your eyes widened in horror as you watched the man’s shift complete.

 

Where a lanky, six-foot tall boy once stood before you, now there was a massive, snarling, black-coated wolf.

 

Its red eyes narrowed at you, and the vicious growl it released from the pits of its stomach was all it took before you scrambled to your feet and ran.

 

You heard it howl behind you, its vocals resounding across the open field for several seconds before you heard its paws thudding against the terrain, chasing you down with the intent to kill.

 

It didn’t take a genius to realize the wolf was gaining on you. Fast.

 

You set your sights on the farmhouse. As it grew closer you could see Jongdae standing on the porch, frantically waving his arms above his head. He motioned desperately for you to return to the house, urging you to run faster.

 

Luck, however, was not on your side. Just as you came a few hundred feet from the house, your foot caught on a grass hole. Your knees buckled from underneath you, and you crashed to the ground, skidding for several feet further.

 

You looked up to see that Jongdae had left the porch, and was now sprinting towards you at top speed.

 

You looked behind you to see the black wolf approaching with murderous rage to fuel it. It was so close to you now. Your throat closed up in fear. It lunged, leaping from its hind legs into the air. You swallowed the lump in your throat, preparing for death just as it was about to pounce-

 

You blinked, and the next thing you knew, you witnessed another massive, brown wolf, colliding with the other in mid-air, and knocking it to the ground just a few feet away from you. Immediately, the black wolf was on its feet, snarling viciously at the one who had intercepted his kill.

 

You breath hitched as you watched the brown wolf position itself between you and the black beast, its tail swiping the grass at your feet protectively. The black wolf growled, releasing a guttural bark as it lunged for its opposer. The brown wolf sprinted to meet it halfway, colliding with tremendous force. The two wolves were quickly interlocked with one another in a whirling knot of gnashing teeth and claws. Just as one seemed to be gaining an advantage in the fight, the other would demolish it, quickly turning the tides.

 

Your heart pounded inside its human cage. You scooted backwards, your eyes not believing what was happening before them.

 

Blood. They were spilling each other's’ blood. There were howls and snarls and barks of aggression and you didn’t think either would last much longer before-

 

“That’s  _enough_!”

 

A thunderous voice boomed from directly behind you, echoing across the open mountainside.

 

Almost instantly, both wolves froze.

 

You turned and looked behind you.

 

Three men stood leering over you. All of which had their eyes trained on the two combatting wolves.

 

The one in the center, who had commanded the fight to end, spoke to the one on his left without diverting his vision.

 

“Luhan.” His voice was low and smooth.

 

“Yes, sir.” The blonde answered in tight accord.

 

“Take the girl inside. Make sure she isn’t injured.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

Your mind was still stuck processing the events from five minutes ago, let alone the fight you had just witnessed. Your joints froze, head reeling at the impossibility of it all. The blonde man, referred to as Luhan, knelt down at your level, gently wrapping his arms around your waist to lift you. You didn’t fight him. Once you were on your feet, one of the man’s arms secured itself around your hips, while the other pulled an arm around his shoulder, your weight now fully supported.

 

Everything was a daze as he guided you back inside the house, delicately depositing you on the sofa you previously laid on.

 

“You’re- you’re not hurt are you?” His eyes were wide and worried as he scanned you up and down for a response. When you didn’t give him one, he straightened himself. “Right, uh, tea! I’ll go make you some tea.”

 

Without another word, Luhan had darted off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving you alone to the jumbled up rubik’s cube that was your mind. Your eyes were trained on your lap, your hands trembling violently.

 

_Wolves._

_  
_

_They_ _’re werewolves._

_  
_

_…Werewolves._

 

Luhan returned in record time with a thin china teacup of steaming amber liquid. He placed it on its tea-plate and gently set it down on your lap. You stared down into the cup, your eyes focused on the black parcels that swirled at the bottom of the cup.

 

“So, uh.” Luhan stood there, tapping his foot against the floor nervously and looking around the room with an anxious look. “I guess, uh… We’re, uh…” He bit his lip.

 

Suddenly, the front door creaked open. Two men walked in: the one who had ordered the brawl to cease, and Jongdae. The older man looked to Jongdae and gave him a knowing glance. Jongdae’s gaze turned towards your own, locking in place and unwavering. His shirt was torn in several places, bloodstains littering his entire body.

 

Luhan let out a breath he had been holding. “You know what? I think I’ll let Jongdae handle this one.”

 

He made his way to the door, but the older man placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kyungsoo is out running with Chanyeol to help him let off steam. You’re welcome to join them.”

 

“Of course, that sounds great, Junmyeon.” Luhan nodded and darted through the door, past your field of vision.

 

The one referred to as Junmyeon turned to Jongdae. “I’ll leave her in your care, then.”

 

And with that, Junmyeon walked back through the front door, following closely behind Luhan.

 

Several moments of silence, thick with tension, passed. Neither you nor Jongdae broke away from each others’ gaze.

 

Eventually, Jongdae ripped his eyes away, looking around the room with his lips pressed into a thin line.

 

“Ah,” His eyebrowes lifted in realization, “Your wrist.”

 

Jongdae disappeared past a neighboring doorway, but returned quickly with an ace bandage. He walked swiftly towards the couch, opting to sit on the coffee table instead of the cushion next to you.

 

“Let me see your hand.” He spoke slowly, quietly,  _cautiously_ , his voice dropping an octave. When you refused to extend it, he glanced up to meet your tired eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you, I swear it.”

 

Your gaze drifted back towards your lap. You remained silent and unmoving. Jongdae tenderly picked up the teacup from your lap, placing it beside him on the coffee table. He then reached out and touched your hand. You flinched immediately, but didn’t fight it.

 

Your hands were swollen and dirty and cold, your wrist aching from when he had inadvertently injured it earlier. As his hand delicately went to pick up your own, you felt a wave of peace wash over you.

 

It was so warm.

 

Jongdae brought your hand to his lap, where he began to unwind the ace wrap. You shivered at the contact, too scared to move.

 

“I’m-… God I’m really sorry about all of this.” He spoke lowly, the aggression in his voice directed at himself. “Your hand, Chanyeol, the mix up, everything, I just-”

 

“M-mix up?” You squeaked, your throat dry and cracked.

 

Jongdae froze at the sound of your voice, seemingly encouraged by your initiative response.

 

“I guess I’ll start at the beginning then, shall I?” Jongdae smiled half-heartedly to himself as he began to wrap your wrist in the bandage. “Me and my brothers… We’re… We’re-”

 

“Werewolves?” You finished for him.

 

“I know it seems impossible, but we’ve actually been here a while. This town, up here in the mountains, it’s been our home for years. Some of us study at the university-”

 

“Where you found  _me_.”

 

Jongdae’s hands froze. “Yes. About that, if you just let me explain everything, I promise you’ll get some answers. Alright?”

 

You swallowed, nodding slowly.

“Recently, there have been a few…  _disputes_ within our pack.” Jongdae continued to wrap your hand. “Our Beta, Kris, the second in command, was starting to question our leader’s capability and authority. Junmyeon, the Alpha of our pack, gave him many chances, but ultimately, we had to banish him.”

 

You spoke softly, almost inaudible. “What does that have to do with me?”

 

“Kris had… He had a mate.” Jongdae stopped fixing your bandage to look at you in the eye.

 

His gaze was unwavering, as if he was willing you to connect the dots of a picture you couldn’t comprehend. After a few short moments, however, it hit you.

 

“My roommate.”

 

“Bingo,” Jongdae returned to work on your hand. “Yoori was furious her mate wasn’t able to become the Alpha. And so-” He tightened a portion of the bandage around your thumb, causing you to wince. He apologized quickly, his face reddening. “And so, she tried to poison Junmyeon.”

 

“She… She tried to kill him?”

 

Jongdae nodded. “We tracked her phone messages and were able to get to him before the wolfsbane had taken over his system entirely, but if we had arrived just a minute later…”

 

There was a short pause.

 

“We knew that she was the culprit, and we knew that she and Kris would no doubt try to leave town to escape punishment. You see, there’s a basic code, an unwritten list of honorary rules, I guess you could call it,” Jongdae talked slowly, attempting to dim things down so that you could understand. “There are grave consequences for trying to murder a member of the pack, let alone the alpha. Consequences such as-”

 

“-Death.” You deadpanned.

“Yoori, that conniving  _bitch_.” Jongdae pressed his lips together, continuing to apply the rest of the bandage carefully. “She had this all planned out. She could complete the perfect assassination. All she needed was a scapegoat. She decided that it’d be much easier to pin the murder on someone else than to spend her entire life running, and with living space being as competitive as it is in Cedarwood, what better tool to use than a potential roommate.”

 

“I’m sorry, I guess I just don’t understand, but,” Your voice was cautious, your mind whirling to try and grasp the information that was being thrown at you. “Wouldn’t you, I don’t know,  _recognize_ that I don’t look like her?”

 

“Junmyeon is the only one of us who has met Yoori personally.” Jongdae spoke quiety, a hint of shame in his voice. “It was almost  _too_ easy for her. By leaving all of her personal belongings behind, all with her scent laid out on them, you had a target painted right on your back.”

 

“Then… The clothes I borrowed-”

 

“Smell exactly like her; herbal lavender.” Jongdae growled. “It was strong enough to almost completely mask your own scent.”

 

“Almost?”

 

“I- I-” Jongdae forced the words out of his system. “I sensed something was wrong from the moment I saw you sitting across the cafeteria. My instincts warned me that there was something underneath what I was smelling, something telling me that it didn’t add up. I smelled something… different on you. Something that I’ve never… never sensed before. But I just ignored it. I didn’t want to seem weak to my brothers. They’ve all killed before, mostly in self-defense, but they’ve done it to protect the pack. I was given an assignment. A test of how much I deserved my place in the pack. So, I went through with it. And I… I nearly kil-”

 

Jongdae bit his tongue, grimacing at the memory.

 

 

 

“It took me too long to make the connection. But I called Junmyeon as soon as I did. None of the others knew that you weren’t Yoori, and I knew that it would take Junmyeon explaining it for them to believe it. I had to get you somewhere safe. So, I brought you here, to our house. Chanyeol found out I hadn’t completed the job, and followed me back here. I contacted Junmyeon to get here as soon as possible, but Chanyeol was quicker. When you left the house, you ran into him, and-”

 

Jongdae clenched his eyes shut, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down.

 

After a prolonged silence, you spoke.

 

“So… That was you,” The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to align themselves. Jongdae had saved you. Twice. “Thank you for… Well… Whatever it is you did back there.”

 

“But earlier, I… I-” Jongdae opened his eyes, looking up at you with regret evident on his face. “I almost killed you.”

 

“But you didn’t.” You gave him a weak smile.

 

Jongdae’s eyes stared deep into your own, searching desperately for any trace of fear, anger,  _hatred_.

 

But there was none.

 

Against your better judgement, you reach out and placed your other hand on top of his own. “As soon as you found out I wasn’t the target, you protected me. Even risking your own life…”

 

There was a stagnant silence.

 

Your heart thrummed inside your chest, the beat of it increasing as Jongdae continued to stare at you with a set expression.

 

_What… What is he thinking about?_

 

“It can’t be…” He swallowed, yet his features hardened with confidence. “Can I-… I-… I want to try something.”

 

Before you even had the chance to respond, Jongdae leaned forward. His lips collided with your own, their soft and smooth feel juxtaposing your cracked, chapped ones. He pressed further, placing a hand on the couch to brace himself as he deepened the kiss. Your eyes widened in shock, but you didn’t pull away.

 

Something about his touch made you feel calm.

 

Something about his presence made you feel safe.

 

Something about his kiss made you feel as though you belonged to each other.

 

 

And it set your heart on fire.

 

After a few more passionate, drawn-out dives, Jongdae pulled away. He rested his head against your forehead, and took a long, deep breath in through his nose.

 

“It’s just as I thought.” Jongdae closed his eyes and you saw him smirk, sighing in relief to himself.

 

**“You smell of lemongrass and french vanilla.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOO PART ONE IS FINALLY FINISHED!! and yes, I said part ONE, because, since you gave me two parts to “Chogiwa”, I’m writing two parts to this bad boy!! I hope you enjoyed it fam!! And thank you to all of yall lovely readers who took the time to read this beast, it was a toughy. The biggest word count for a segment I’ve written yet x_x 
> 
> I love you Shauna!! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY :D
> 
> STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 :D
> 
> ~Nunchi


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence, Language, Attempted Murder, Attempted sexual assault

Your heart thudded inside of your chest as Jongdae pulled away. Too stunned to move, let alone respond, you felt a chill course through the nerves along your spine. His eyes remained in direct contact with your own, tenderness evident in his gaze.

 

“J-…J-” You stuttered, “What…  _What_ -”

 

You flinched as the front door flew open. Jongdae spun around, shielding you behind his back protectively. Both of your gazes met with Luhan’s wide eyes. He was panting, knees trembling as the indicator of an intense run.

 

“We have a problem-” Luhan swallowed, pausing for breath. “It’s Yoori.”

 

Jongdae was on his feet in an instant, bristling at attention. Luhan peered behind him, leaning to the side to get a glimpse of you. Jongdae extended his arm to cover you apprehensively.

 

“Junmyeon wants her there…” Luhan’s eyes hardened just slightly. “She needs to see this.”

 

Keeping the one arm outstretched, Jongdae used his other to reach behind himself, his hand finding your own and latching onto it.

 

“Alright, then.” Jongdae straightened himself. “But she’s not leaving my sight. I don’t trust anything that witch is up to.”

 

Luhan seemed hesitant for several moments. Eventually, he nodded and turned to walk back out the door, expecting the two of you to follow. The sound of cicada swarms hit your ears the minute you walked outside, dusk keeping the temperature cool. The three of you walked across the grassy field for what seemed like an eternity. The spiky green texture of the grass being the only source of concentration you had as you trailed behind Jongdae. After a few more minutes, you looked up to see the treeline approaching. Several bodies stood huddled in a circle, surrounding something you couldn’t see. As you got closer, however, the smell of blood and death intensified, feeling like acid within your nose. You brought up the wrist that Jongdae was not holding to block the brunt of the putrid smell, but it did little to help.

 

As the three of you finally joined the circle, you stepped on your toes to peer over Jongdae’s shoulder. What you saw almost caused you to stumble backwards.

 

It was the carcass of a deer.

 

You bit the inside of your cheek to prevent a gag reflex as you examined it.

 

The deer’s eyes were gray and glazed over, flies accumulating in small swarms in various places. Most strikingly, however, was the solitary black arrow that protruded from the deer’s rib cage; its cause of death. As your eyes fell upon the arrow, another detail quickly caused you to shudder.

 

Attached to the arrow was a scarf.  _Your_ scarf. The one that had gotten soaked, along with the rest of your clothes, and left back at the apartment.

 

Someone had been there.

 

 _She_ had been there.

 

“I trust everyone here now realizes that this is (y/n).” Junmyeon’s voice ripped your focus from the dead animal. His arm was extended in your direction, gesturing to announce your presence.

 

You looked around at the group of men that encircled the carcass. Including Jongdae, there were eleven present.

 

All with their eyes on you.

 

“It’s not just a sign,” Junmyeon knelt down by the carcass, tilting his head up to you after examining it. “It’s a declaration.”

 

You immediately felt Jongdae tense, his grip on your wrist tightening.

 

“A declaration saying what?” You spoke quietly.

 

“Exactly what it looks like.” Jongdae’s low voice was full of repressed anger. “‘You’re next.’”

 

* * *

 

 

The air was stiff inside the car. The cool blue of the morning sky sent shivers down your arms. The cold leather seats did little to warm you.

 

“I know it isn’t ideal.” Jongdae spoke softly from the driver’s seat, his gaze focused on the road ahead of him. “But Kris’s mate  _will_ come for you.”

 

“If by not ideal you mean being forced to put my studies aside, wear your clothes-” You gestured at the oversized t-shirt you had been instructed to put on. “And fear that at any moment, I could be attacked and murdered, then yes.” You ran a hand through your hair in distress, though your tone remained calm. “This is less than ideal.”

 

You heard Jongdae growl from the seat beside yours.

 

“I’m not going to let that happen.” His knuckles tightened around the steering wheel. “I was assigned to protect you, and  _that’s_ what’s going to happen.”

 

You leaned against the palm of your hand as your elbow rested against the window. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to collect yourself. You had hardly got any sleep last night at Jongdae and his brothers’ house, and the fatigue was quick to set in.

 

“If it’s a concern about your academics, the pack has an inside with all of the deans, administrators, and professors.” Jongdae offered calmly. “This area’s known for being a hotspot full of…  _undesirables_. We’re the first line of defense against them, and we keep the school protected.”

 

As much as you wanted to argue, you realized that Jongdae was doing his absolute best to provide abetment.

 

“And… If it’s the clothes you’re upset about…” Jongdae swallowed, the words seemingly hard for him to say. “There isn’t much I can do about that. There’s no way we’re letting you touch anything belonging to Yoori, and there are members that are working on getting your luggage back from the airport as we speak.”

 

There was a short silence.

 

“…But why yours?” You questioned curiously.

 

“It’ll be easier for me to-” Jongdae shuffled in his seat uncomfortably. “… _Protect_ you… If I can find your scent without any…  _distractions_.”

 

You nodded twice as you tried to wrap your head around his explanation.

 

After a few minutes of awkward silence, you spoke once again.

 

“So, just to make things clear,” You straightened in your seat. “I’m just supposed to go about my day as though nothing’s wrong, and you’ll be the one to catch Yoori?”

 

“Not exactly,” Jongdae looked over his shoulder to change lanes, taking the exit that led towards the university. “I’m solely in charge of making sure Yoori doesn’t get too close to you. We have half of the pack at the ready at all times to apprehend her when she’s crossed our border. As soon as she’s within our territory, the rest of the pack will let me know, and we’ll be on high alert.”

 

“She’s just one girl. You can’t seriously need that many people to find her.”

 

Jongdae’s knuckled turned white, his eyes narrowing.

 

“Yoori isn’t human. Nor is she a wolf.” He growled. “…She’s a witch.”

 

“She’s a  _witch_?” You repeated incredulously, facing Jongdae with wide eyes.

 

“A powerful one at that.” Jongdae kept his lips pressed into a thin line. “There’s no telling what she might do to you if she had her hands on you-”

 

Jongdae cut himself off and winced, as though the mere thought of her capabilities used against you made him disgusted.

 

“She’ll come, knowing full well the entire pack is on the hunt for her.” His teeth were clenched as he spoke. “Which is why I am not letting you out of my sight. Not even for a second.”

 

The car was silent after that. You didn’t know how to respond to Jongdae’s words, let alone the situation at hand. You just wanted all of this to be over.

 

Soon enough, Jongdae pulled into the university parking lot. After he helped you out of the car, the two of you began to walk to your morning class. He took your books from your silently, and you conceded to let him help you without complaint. After a few minutes of walking, a thought popped into your head.

 

“Jongdae?” You chirped.

 

He hummed nonchalantly in response.

 

“I was thinking… Well, I had this question, actually, about earlier.”

 

Again, he hummed.

 

“Yesterday, you mentioned something about…” You bit your lip, debating whether to continue or not. “Well, about me…  _smelling_ , like… lemongrass and…  _french vanilla_?” You saw Jongdae’s shoulders tense. “What does that m-”

 

“That’s not important right now.” Jongdae’s voice was sharp.

 

Without another word, he took your hand within his own, lacing his fingers with yours. He quickly picked up the pace; a silent signal that the conversation was over.

 

You reached your first lecture hall in record time. As the students poured in, you noticed Jongdae take a seat a few rows behind you. As soon as class started, you knew focusing on the lecture was out the window. Not only was your mind swarming with thoughts and questions about your current predicament, you could feel Jongdae’s stare at the back of your head. You didn’t dare turn around to acknowledge it, and instead tried calming yourself by thinking that this whole situation would soon be over.

 

The class seemed endless. It was all you could do to scribble down minimalistic notes and not drown out the professor’s voice entirely.

 

You hoped that Jongdae and his brothers stayed keen on their word, and that your academics would not suffer as a result of this dilemma.

 

After what felt like an eternity, however, the lecture was finished, and the students dispersed.

 

Jongdae was not kidding when he said he would not let you out of his sight.

 

He trailed behind you every step you took, even just an inch closer and he would be stepping on your heels. As much as you tried your best to ignore it and carry on, you felt your heart pounding, your chest tightening with each step. It was like you could feel the heat of his proximity to you, and it was driving your senses mad.

 

But somehow, deep down, you knew this was different.

 

The way your hair stood on end when you could almost feel him on top of you. The near-silent breathing as he tread behind your lead. The way your skin felt like it was on fire just with him being around.

 

You came to a dead halt in the middle of the empty hallway.

 

“Is this entirely necessary?” You spun around, not prepared for how close Jongdae really was. “I’m finding it a little hard to breathe.”

 

“Believe me, if you think you’ve got problems,” Jongdae scoffed, muttering under his breath. “You have no idea what you’re doing to  _me_.”

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.” He spoke up, clearing his throat. “And to answer your question, yes, it is necessary if you don’t want to become mince meat for our resident witch.”

 

You sighed in discontent, rolling your eyes before turning around and continuing to walk to the cafeteria. It was bustling with activity when you reached it; several students hurrying to get in a quick brunch before their schedule took off. With Jongdae hot on your heels, you grabbed a tray and began to pick lightly at your options.

 

You had absolutely  _no_ appetite.

 

You chose a measly bowl of salad with minimal toppings and a few crackers. After filling a cup of water you found the empty table at the farthest corner of the cafeteria, away from as many people as possible.

 

Jongdae had been eyeing the crowd the minute the two of you had entered, but know that you had sat down, his focus was diverted solely to you.

 

He glanced down at your food.

 

“There’s no way you’re eating that.” Jongdae deadpanned.

 

Before you even had the chance to protest, Jongdae stood up from his seat. He immediately took your tray into his hands and headed back towards the buffet tables. You didn’t even have time to utter a complaint before he had strode to the other side of the cafeteria entirely.

 

Sipping your water, you tapped your foot nervously underneath the table. You had underestimated Jongdae’s presence. Now that he was gone, even for something as small as this, you felt open, helpless,  _weak_. The anxiety only needed a few seconds to set in, keeping your gaze fixed on your hands as your index finger drew imaginary shapes on the acrylic table.

 

Sooner than you had expected, you saw a shadow in the space across from you.

 

“Jongdae, I really don’t have much of an app-” You looked up, expecting to see the wolf boy’s abnormally amber eyes staring back at you.

 

But you didn’t.

 

“Jiyeon.” You hissed through gritted teeth.

 

“Jongdae?” The girl with a tight bun, and a much too tight skirt let out a laugh. “Who’s Jongdae? One of your imaginary friends?”

 

You rolled your eyes, immediately standing up from your seat to move elsewhere. Your head jerked to look Jiyeon in the eyes when she seized your wrist, twisting it tightly and preventing you from moving further.

 

“I don’t have time for this, Jiyeon.” You yanked your arm, trying to free it from her painful hold.

 

“Now, you see, I don’t think we got to resolve our little quandary from last year, now did we?” Her smile was venomous. Her eyes narrowed and her expression became dark. “You owe me. You made me the laughingstock of the entire lecture hall. I’m not the type to easily forget my grudges.”

 

“You know as well as I do that that incident had nothing to do with me.” You spoke coldly, meeting her gaze. “It was merely a result of your own insecurities.”

 

You pulled hard on your wrist, successfully freeing it. You turned to walk away, but Jiyeon had other ideas.

 

“I wasn’t finished, you  _bitch_.” Her heels clicked as she rounded the table.

 

You lifted your head just in time to see her raise her hand above her head, ready to strike. It came down at full force. You closed your eyes to face the brunt of the slap.

 

But nothing happened.

 

You quickly reopened your eyes.

 

“Hey!” Jiyeon hissed. “Let go of me!”

 

Wrapped around her wrist was none other than Jongdae’s iron grip. Your eyes trailed from his clenched hand, up his flexed bicep, all the way to his face. His expression was dark, serious, and spoke volumes of intimidation.

 

Before long, Jongdae’s chest began to rumble, a growl threatening to erupt. You quickly placed your hand on his arm.

 

“It’s okay Jongdae,” You tried to calm him. “You can let her go.”

 

In a high state of contempt, Jongdae released his grip on Jiyeon’s wrist.

 

“What the hell?” She rubbed the area where Jongdae had been ruthless. “Who the fuck is this guy?”

 

“He’s not-”

 

“I’m her boyfriend.”

 

Jongdae pressed his body against yours, wrapping a defined arm around your shoulders. You looked up at him in shock, too stunned to think of an intelligible response.

 

“ _What_?” Jiyeon spat. “There’s  _no_ way this hag was able to cat a guy like you.”

 

She eyed Jongdae up and down incredulously.

 

A part inside of you began to heat up, a spit of anger coursing through it.

 

A small part.

 

“If you have any problems with her,” His arm slid down to your waist, pulling you tightly against him. “I’d love to hear about it.”

 

Jiyeon simply scowled, crossing her arms.

 

“It’s a damn shame you’re  _both_ crazy.” Her lip twitched in aggravation, and she spun on her heels, stalking away at a heated pace.

 

The minute Jiyeon was out of sight, you wedged your hands between Jongdae’s body and your own, pushing him away from you.

 

“What the hell was that?” You raised your voice.

 

“What do you mean?” Jongdae began to bristle. “I was helping you.”

 

“By telling her you’re my  _boyfriend_ of all things?”

 

“What was I supposed to say? That I’m actually a werewolf assigned to make sure you aren’t assassinated by a rogue witch? Oh  _sure_ , that would’ve gone  _swell_!”

 

His sarcasm infuriated you, mostly because you knew that, deep down, he had a point.

 

“Then let me get this straight.” You took a step forward, glaring him down. “You are not my boyfriend, nor will we ever be in a relationship of any kind, is that clear? As soon as this mess is over, I’m going back to my old life, getting my diploma, and starting my career, away from this place, away from you.”

 

There was a stunned silence on both your and Jongdae’s accounts.

 

You wish you didn’t see the hurt in Jongdae’s eyes.

 

You hadn’t meant to sound so aggressive with it, but that was the truth. You had no intention of involving yourself with these people; you knew only danger and remorse would come from it. The moment Yoori was captured and dealt with would be the moment you pushed this all behind you.

 

“Listen, Jongdae, I-”

 

“No, what you said is true, and justified.” His gaze was cold, but it did little to hide the pain underneath. “You didn’t ask to be a part of this, and we-…  _I_  have no right to force this on you.”

 

The weight of your outburst began to set in as you witnessed Jongdae’s face become more crestfallen by the second.

 

“Eat.” He nodded gently towards the new tray of food he had brought you, now lying on the table. Without waiting for a response, he turned over his shoulder and walked towards the cafeteria exit. “I’ll walk you to class when you’re finished.”

 

And with that, he was gone. In the blink of an eye, he had slipped past the crowd, into the indiscernible sea of people. Your knees began to feel fatigued, and you quickly pulled out a chair to fall into. You glanced at the tray Jongdae had retrieved. Your throat constricted with guilt as you took in what he had brought you.

 

A large bowl of rice had been placed in the center of the tray, surrounded by cooked vegetables of all kinds, organized in an ornate pattern. A small bowl of fruit was placed in the corner with a specifically-placed dollop of whip cream on the strawberry that was on top. A canned coffee was put on the opposite corner, already opened as if he knew you had trouble popping the lid on those small cans. Last but not least, the silverware had been put inside the napkin, which had been folded in an ornate design with folds and angles that gave the fork, knife, and spoon individual pockets.

 

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

 

Jongdae was trying. Trying his  _best_ to make things easier for you.

 

While all of the others saw you as an object that was wedged in the way of progress, Jongdae had tried to give you some sense of self; some dignity.

 

You had lost all of your appetite at the thought of the situation you were in. After picking at the rice and vegetables for several minutes, you decided enough was enough. You weaved your way through the cafeteria masses and made it to the exit hall. After emerging on the other end, you saw Jongdae was leaning against the wall just outside, his arms crossed and his eyes alert, scanning the crowd. The minute you walked through, however, he pushed himself off of the wall and walked up silently to your side.

 

Next up on your schedule was a free hour you had to study and organize your files. You always chose to spend this time on your favorite bench in the park, underneath a large oak tree. Jongdae knew this already, and trailed behind you noiselessly. As you began to walk to your destination, your fingers drummed on the notebooks you were holding nervously. You could tell Jongdae wasn’t looking at you from behind; you would’ve felt his stare. It felt as though his lack of poignancy poured salt onto your wound, letting the regret and worry fester in the back of your mind.

 

As soon as you arrived at the bench, you dumped most of your belongings at the trunk of the tree. You sat down, placing your small laptop on your thighs. Jongdae placed himself on the far end of the bench, facing the opposite direction. You opened a search tab, ready to engage your academic focus. Instead, however, your fingers drummed mindlessly on the keys, no clear objective behind their movements.

 

The breeze brushed across your arms, and you decided you couldn’t take the tension any longer.

 

“Jongdae-”

 

“(y/n)-”

 

Your gazes met each other in surprise as you spoke at the same time.

 

“No, no,” You set the laptop aside. “I want to get this out first. What I said earlier was crossing the line. I’m aware of that now. You didn’t put me in this situation; you’re only working to get me out of it. You’re doing the best you can, and I was ignorant of that.”

 

“No,” Jongdae let out a soft, short laugh to himself, looking down at his hands in his lap. “You’re completely justified in feeling this way. You were dragged into our pack’s business without a choice, so now it’s our-… my responsibility to make sure you’re safe and returned to your normal life.”

 

“I think having a normal life at this point is a little far-fetched,” You scoffed, smiling. “Don’tcha think?”

 

Jongdae looked up at you, leaning forward so that he was significantly closer than before.

 

“If that’s what you wanted.” His tone was serious, his eyes locking onto yours. “I would do everything to make sure it happened.”

 

You froze, taking in the intensity of Jongdae’s words.

 

Coming back to your senses, you swallowed, redirecting your attention straight ahead of yourself to get relief from Jongdae’s burning gaze.

 

“I didn’t know you wolf boys could be so…  _intense_.” You offered a nervous laugh. “You really don’t seem to joke around much.”

 

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about our kind.” Jongdae leaned back slowly, keeping his eyes locked on you. “Especially when it comes to dedication.”

 

“Dedication?” Your eyebrow shifted. “Like, for a cause?”

 

Jongdae laughed, placing his hands behind him and breaking eye contact with you.

 

“I guess you could say that.”

 

“So,” You cleared your throat, hoping to redirect the subject elsewhere. “Is there anything else I should know about this whole witch business?”

 

Jongdae’s jaw clenched. “Not unless you’re looking for something specific.”

 

“Then…” You looked ahead of you and bit your lip, deciding it was better to tackle the elephant in the room than to ignore it. “What will happen to me if Yoori… If she…”

 

You nearly jumped out of your skin as you felt something warm over your hand. You glanced down immediately, eyes widening once you saw Jongdae had placed his hand on top of yours in an instant.

 

“That  _won’t happen_.” He growled.

 

Although it comforted you to know Jongdae was protecting you, the curiosity was intermingling with your anxiety over the matter, and you needed closure.

 

Jongdae seemed to notice this, as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 

“If she finds you, it will be near-impossible for us to track her, and you, down. Since she’s a witch, she can completely nullify your smell, making it like finding a spec of dust in a pitch-black room.” He sighed. “The only way we’d be able to locate you would be if-”

 

Jongdae cut himself off, leaving you leering for a response.

 

“…If?”

 

“No, it’s nothing.” He smiled, shaking his head. “Because it  _won’t happen_.”

 

A few seconds of silence passed, after which you moved the hand that Jongdae’s still held. After seeing your unsettled expression, Jongdae scooted closer to you, perking up.

 

“Do you have any other questions I can answer, perhaps?”

 

“Well,” You leaned back on your palms. “I barely know anything about your pack dynamics. Where do you even start?”

 

“For starters,” Jongdae puffed out his chest a little bit, a sense of pride enveloping his tone. “I’m the strongest member of the pack. Don’t let the fight with Chanyeol fool you; I was pretty exhausted and Chanyeol was in a rut due to being in heat season. Makes him get super cranky.”

 

“Heat season?”

 

“Ah, goddamnit.” Jongdae muttered under his breath. “I didn’t mean to jump on that topic this soon.”

 

You sent him a quizzical glare.

 

“Well, er, you see…” He took a deep breath, putting his hands in front of him as if to speak physically. “Us wolves each have a certain time period where… Certain things affect us.”

 

“Like?”

 

“Well, in Chanyeol’s case, as you experienced, heightened rage and the need to hunt, and or kill something our inner wolf has identified as prey can completely take over the system. It’s like being in a state of frenzy.” Jongdae paused to let the information sink in just a little. “There’s lot of other things that can happen during heat season, too. We get ravenously hungry, in both our wolf and human forms. Jongin once went through eighteen pounds of steak in one meal. Kyungsoo never has a fun time fixing that much food for us.”

 

“I can imagine.” You mumbled.

 

“In addition, we also have a lot of pent up energy. Mixed with our heightened sense of smell, it can turn into a  _really_ rough time if-”

 

Jongdae’s breath seemed to hitch, as if something physical had prevented him from continuing.

 

“If what?” You leaned forward just a bit.

 

There was a prolonged silence, in which you expected Jongdae was going through some serious turmoil about whether or not to continue explaining.

 

“Just be honest with me, Jongdae.” You laid a gentle touch on his shoulder.

 

He flinched just slightly.

 

“Well,” Jongdae looked up at you, his eyes flashing golden. His tone was dark, his visade changing drastically to become significantly more serious. “It becomes a problem when we become hell-bent on releasing our energy and frustration through more…  _sexual_ means.”

 

You froze, your body tensing up. You felt your skin get hot, your face flushing instantly.

 

Of all the aspects of being part wolf to incorporate into a lifestyle, you were not expecting  _that_ to be one of them.

 

Jongdae’s expression became set, his eyes glowing in a way that alerted you of his instincts.

 

“It really becomes unbearable when the slightest thing can tip us over the edge.” He spoke softly, a low growl resonating in his chest. He was leaning in, closer than he had been before.

 

“If someone looks at us wrong.”

 

He leaned closer.

 

“Having an explicit dream.”

 

You began to slowly lean away from his approach, but Jongdae was adamant. Softly so. Although you knew his primal side was beginning to leak through, you weren’t afraid; all of his movements were tender.

 

“Experiencing the delicate scent of a woman.” Jongdae’s face was nearly nuzzled against your neck now, his hands reaching across the bench to keep you in his grasp. His nose grazed the skin of your collarbone, prevalent on the oversized t-shirt you were given.

 

“Especially one that’s wearing my shirt.”

 

You sucked in a breath as you felt Jongdae’s lips ghost over your collarbone. Your heart rattled inside its cage as he began to trail his mouth upwards. Goosebumps traversed the soft skin of your neck as Jongdae placed his lips across it, planting a whisper of a kiss in his wake.

 

“Jongdae-”

 

You were slowly snapping back to reality.

 

You were the target of a murderous witch.

 

You were in public.

 

You were with a  _wolf_.

 

“Jongdae-” You went to move from his hold, but were met with a low, nearly predatory growl.

 

You felt his hand slide to rest on your thigh, beginning to squeeze tightly.

 

“ _Jongdae_!”

 

He froze.

 

After mere seconds of silence, Jongdae flew off of you. He slid to the other side of the bench lightning fast, a clearly dejected look on his face.

 

“Oh my god… (y/n)…” His eyes had returned to normal, and his voice betrayed any primal instincts. “I’m… I’m so sorry… I-”

 

You stood up, extremely flushed and dazed.

 

“I’m… just gonna head to the bathroom real quick.” You managed to force out. “I’ll… be back.”

 

Before you could find any sliver of a reason to stay, you turned on your heel and stalked briskly in the direction of the nearest restroom. En route, you hit your forehead repeatedly using your palm. You were more frustrated at yourself than anything else.

 

 _Why didn’t I have any problems with him doing that?_  You grabbed a small fistful of your hair.  _Why did that feel so right? Why why why?_

When you reached the women’s stall, you ducked inside, heading straight for the sink. You sent a silent prayer thanking the heavens that the bathroom was empty. Turning the faucet on, you splashed cold water on your face in small amounts. You reached for the paper towels, wiping your face void of water and sweat.

 

 _Idiot, idiot, idiot._ You thought.  _You need to be focusing on staying alive, not flirting with your guard dog!_

With your eyes still damp, you fumbled for the trash can, keeping your eyes closed. After successfully locating it, you stepped back.

 

What you weren’t expecting, however, was to back up straight into a broad chest.

 

You sighed exasperatedly. “Jongdae, I realize you just want to do your job, but you can’t just walk into the girl’s-”

 

You turned around, your eyes dry and open. What you saw caused you to stumble backwards, clutching the edge of the sink with both hands behind you.

 

It wasn’t Jongdae.

 

This guy was tall, broad, extremely muscular, and most certainly did not belong in the women’s restroom.

 

“Who are you?” You tried to hold your ground, seeing no way around him to get to the exit.

 

 _Wait a minute._ You studied the tall boy’s features. _No… He’s on the football team… He can’t be Jiyeon’s boyfr-_

 

“Jiyeon sends her regards.” He smiled venomously, taking a threatening step forward.

 

“No… no, no, no-” You slid sideways, your back pressing up against the stalls in order to get away from him. You needed to get out.

 

Now.

 

“ _Jong_ -!”

 

Your cry for help was silenced as the football player wrapped one of his hands around your throat. Using very little effort on his part, he pushed you up against the stall door. You clawed at his hand for release, but it was terrifying how easily he overpowered you.

 

“I see you got yourself a boyfriend.” He gleaned. You bit the inside of your cheek as you felt his other hand slide underneath your shirt. “Let’s see what’s going on under the seams that’s so good.”

 

“J-… J-” You choked.

 

Just as his hands began to trail up your waist, you heard the bathroom door slam open. In less time than you could blink, the pressure was released from your throat, and the boy was thrown across the tile floor.

 

“Who the  _fuck_ said you could lay your repulsive hands on her?!” Jongdae had his back to you protectively. The sheer intimidation of his aura caused even you to shiver. “You piece of shit.” He snarled. “You’ll be lucky if there isn’t a single bone is your body that isn’t broken by the time I’m through.”

 

You barely had time to catch your breath before Jongdae was on top of the guy who had assaulted you. The fight was drastically outmatched, and you winced as you heard a definitive snap of bone breaking. You focused your vision to see that the boy’s foot was twisted at a painfully unnatural angle, causing him to cry out in pain.

 

“Jongdae, that’s enough-” You stepped forward, calling out to him in hopes of ending the fight.

 

Jongdae wasn’t listening.

 

You flinched backwards as you heard another soul-piercing cry of agony. As Jongdae turned you saw the boy’s wrist, twisted and snapped in an abnormal direction.

 

This was enough.

 

“Jongdae!” You screamed.

 

As if suddenly turned to stone, Jongdae stilled. You took the opportunity to run up to him.

 

“It’s over, Jongdae, it’s done.” You placed a hand over his arm, willing him to let go.

 

The growl he released reverberated around the room.

 

“Jongdae,” Your tone was assertive. “I said it’s done.”

 

As if it was the hardest action of his life, Jongdae pried his flexed hand off of the now-sobbing football player. He kept his golden eyes fixed on the boy, as if daring him to lift another finger in your direction. Before blood could be spilled, you grabbed Jongdae by the wrist, pulling him away from the scene before anyone walking by would be alerted.

 

Avoiding as much attention as possible, you dragged Jongdae underneath a small pavilion that was conveniently hidden behind two buildings. It was there that you released his wrist and spun around to face him.

 

“What the  _hell_ was that?!” Your voice instantly raised.

 

“What are you talking about?!” Jongdae met your volume.

 

“You just broke a guy’s foot, wrist, and God knows what else!” You didn’t hold back. “What the hell are we supposed to do when they find out, genius?!”

 

“Relax, okay!” Jongdae took a ragged breath in. “Like I said earlier we have an inside with the school, there’s no way-”

 

“You’re missing the point!” You hissed. “You incapacitated, and nearly  _killed_ a guy just because he grabbed me!”

 

“I just saved your ass back there!”

 

“And you don’t think you went the slightest bit  _overboard_?!”

 

Jongdae’s fists clenched at his sides. He took deep breath in.

 

“If you only knew what seeing his hands on you did to me.”

 

You let out an infuriated  _rrrrrgh_ , clenching fistfuls of your hair.

 

“I’ve tried Jongdae, I’ve tried so hard,  _so hard_ , to understand.” You paced in a small circle. “But I  _don’t_. And I  _can’t_.”

 

“Everything I’ve ever done has been to keep you safe!” Jongdae held his hands out, arguing for his case. “Wouldn’t you have done the same in my shoes?”

 

“But I’m  _not_ you, Jongdae.” You stared him down. “I’m human. I’m human and I don’t know what the fuck is going on. I can barely wrap my head around any of this, and now I feel like I’m suffocating.”

 

“What?” Jongdae’s eyebrows lifted in earnest.

 

“I’m saying I need space.”

 

“Alright,” He huffed. “I’ll try and step back so-”

 

“No.” You cut him off. “I need to be away from you.”

 

“No, no, no, no, (y/n),” Jongdae shook his head, his face stern. “That leaves you for  _dead_.”

 

“I can barely think, breathe, or concentrate with you so close to me every second of the day!”

 

“I don’t give a damn.” Jongdae growled. “I’m prioritizing you first.”

 

“If you were really prioritizing me first you would give me some goddamn room!”

 

“It doesn’t work like that.”

 

“Bullshit ‘it doesn’t work like that.’” You could feel your throat begin to ware down. You took a deep breath, walking back and forth a few times to cool off. “Listen, you told me that if having a normal life is what I wanted, you would do anything in your power to make it happen. Right?”

 

Jongdae remained silent, his glare full of ice.

 

“I’m telling you that if you put my needs in front of your own at all, you’ll leave me with just a part of the day to imagine my life isn’t crashing down around me.”

 

His eyes softened, and you were positive that behind the piercing amber there was a multitude of pain.

 

“Just a half hour.” You pleaded, finally winding down. “To go to the library. That’s all I need. Just to get my thoughts in order.

 

Jongdae looked at the ground, seemingly unconvinced.

 

“The pack hasn’t even alerted you that Yoori has crossed into your territory yet.”

 

You stepped forward and took his hands into your own.

 

“Please.”

 

And just like that, he shattered.

 

There was a long pause.

 

“I’ll stay on the west side of campus.” Jongdae’s voice was abnormally quiet. Without another word, he turned and walked down the steps of the gazebo.

 

“Thirty minutes.”

 

“Thirty minutes.” You repeated reassuringly.

 

When Jongdae was out of sight, you gathered your things and headed straight in the direction of the library.

 

The fact that it was close by should have been a relief.

 

The fact that Jongdae couldn’t have made it all the way to the west wing should have provided a buffer.

 

The fact that none of the pack had sensed Yoori’s presence on their territory should have solidified security.

 

But it didn’t.

 

With the library’s glass walls in sight, you scampered over to the doors. The second you placed your hand on the handle, you heard someone behind you.

 

“Pardon me,” A strikingly feminine voice sounded.

 

The moment you turned around, you felt a sharp blow to the back of your head, and a soft white cloth pressed to your face.

 

And then,

 

Nothing.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Darkness.

 

A scratching noise.

 

Crickets.

 

Your consciousness returned first with an agonizing headache, causing you to open your mouth in a silent cry. Your eyelids were heavy, dry, and felt as though they were made of sandpaper.

 

As the crickets faded into the background noise, the scratching sound continued.

 

Using as much willpower as you could muster, you lifted your eyelids just slightly.

 

You quickly learned the fact that the darkness wasn’t just a result of your unconsciousness; it was nighttime. The entourage of crickets had announced your location, deep within the pine forests. You immediately felt that you were suspended. Being held upright, the only footing you could place was a wooden stool beneath you, of which only your tip toes could reach. Your wrists were bound above your head, connected to rope that was tied to a sturdy tree branch, high above the earth.

 

The scratching noise had come from the rope.

 

You had been hoisted up.

 

“Well well well, if the little brat hasn’t decided to wake up.” The slightly familiar, feminine voice called out.

 

Your head was spinning so much, it was impossible for you to locate where the voice was coming from. Your vision was waning in and out of focus.

 

“-Hey! Hey!”

 

You shook your head feebly, centering your attention on the voice. When your vision had cleared, your heart sank.

 

Standing before you was a tall, thin girl with straight, raven-colored hair that fell past her waist. Dressed in black jeans and a loose white blouse, she wasn’t quite what you were expecting.

 

“Yoori.” You sputtered, your throat uncomfortably dry.

 

“Mmhmm.” Yoori hummed, leaning forward and placing her hands on her hips. “And guess who couldn’t do one simple job correctly?”

 

She stepped towards the tree, pulling on the excess rope that hung from the branch. As soon as she did you felt the strain on your arms increase with tremendous amounts of pain; your toes no longer touching the stool.

 

“You.” She called in a sing-song voice. “So now you’ve left me with no other means to avenge my beloved Alpha.”

 

“You tried to kill Junmyeon.” You spat through gritted teeth, doing your best to stay conscious.

 

“Yeah, well, you can’t make an omelet without crackin’ a few eggs, am I right?” Yoori threw her hands up in a careless gesture. “Just like you can’t make a pack worth fighting for without dumping the old bogie out.”

 

You felt the rope cute welts into your wrists. “You framed me… You wanted me dead.”

 

“Oh and it would’ve worked  _so_ well if Mr. Loverboy hadn’t been the one assigned to kill you.” She pursed her lips. “I had the perfect plan to kill the pup and take you then, but you made my life  _so_ much easier by dumping the poor kid.”

 

Something deep inside you heated up in rage at the thought of Yoori planning to kill Jongdae.

 

_…What would’ve happened if I had stayed with him?_

“Since the metaphorical huntsmen failed, that brings us back to you.” Yoori’s smile was malicious.

 

She began to walk towards you, and with a simple flick of the wrist, she was airborne, stepping up to meet you at eye level as though there were physical stairs. In no time flat she was hovering right in front of you, dark eyes staring malevolently into your own.

 

“You get to serve as the first of many warnings I’ll give to Junmyeon’s pack.” In a flash Yoori grasped your chin, forcing you to look up at her. “‘Renounce your title, or watch each of your pack members die. One, by one.’”

 

“You’re despicable.” You choked out.

 

Widening her twisted grin, Yoori extended her index finger to touch your cheekbone. Her black nails were easily over an inch long. With a tilt of the head, she pushed the tip of the nail into the skin of your cheek, slicing it clean down the side. The night breeze caused it to sting immediately, blood seeping down your jawline.

 

Yoori drew back, pulling from behind her a short black dagger.

 

“I wish I could say that I’m sorry it had to be you, but,” She kicked the stool out from under you, leaving you to hang only from the rope bound to your wrists. The pain was immeasurable as your feet began to kick helplessly for a surface that did not exist.

 

“I’m really not.”

 

Yoori raised the dagger above her head, her eyes in direct contact with its intended target.

 

Your heart.

 

You closed your eyes, taking the few seconds you had to come to terms with the fact that no one was able to find you. You clenched your eyes tightly, wincing in preparation for the blow.

 

But it never came.

 

A deafening growl sounded behind you, immediately causing your eyes to fly open.

 

Yoori’s expression faltered. “There’s… there’s no way… it can’t be-”

 

A sudden flash of white fur silenced Yoori. The wolf leapt from the bushes that lay directly behind you, pouncing with fatal precision on the witch it had targeted. This wolf was massive, easily the side of a bear, if not slightly larger. It pinned Yoori to the ground, hysteric sobs escaping her once-confident lips.

 

“Chanyeol! Jongdae! Get her down from the ropes!”

 

A powerful voice roared across the forestscape, and although you didn’t know who it belonged to, relief flooded your entire body as you heard two recognizable names.

 

It took only a few seconds before you heard the rope above you snap, followed by a flash of red hair. Sucking a breath in in surprise, you began to fall towards the earth. The soundless cry never left your lips, however, as you found yourself caught within Jongdae’s familiar hold.

 

“There could be other members of the witch’s coven! Scan the perimeter and kill any stragglers!” The chaos and yelling surrounding you began to fade as you looked into Jongdae’s glowing eyes.

 

Eyes full of concern.

 

The world fell silent around you.

 

“Are you okay?” His voice was low and hoarse. “Tell me you’re okay, (y/n).”

 

You fought the tears that threatened to gloss over your vision.

 

“Jong-” Your response was interrupted by a series of dry coughs.

 

“Shhh, Shhh.” Jongdae tilted his hold on you so that your head would rest against his shoulder. “You’re okay now. You’re gonna be okay.”

 

The weight of the suspension and the blow to the head from earlier was quickly taking its toll on your mind and body. Soon, you became limp within Jongdae’s arms, and your mind faded back into the peaceful darkness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
You awoke with a start, lungs heaving for air as you sat upright. It was dawn. The room and bed you were in was unfamiliar. But the house was not. Almost immediately you heard the thudding of footsteps, followed by the door being swung open.

 

“Are you alright?” Jongdae entered the room, rushing to the side of the bed.

 

You coughed a few times, nodding to respond.

 

He quickly reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, offering it to you. You gladly drank from it, your throat extremely dry and cracked.

 

“What…” You croaked. “What happened?”

 

Jongdae sat down on the bed beside you, leaning forward to tuck a stray tuft of hair behind your ear.

 

“It was certainly one hell of a night.” Jongdae offered a soft smile. “But the important thing is you’re safe now.”

 

“What about Yoori-”

 

“She won’t be bothering you again.”

 

Your eyes grew wide. “ _Did you-_ ”

 

“Much to the pack’s surprise, neither Yoori nor Kris are dead.” Jongdae leaned back, sighing. “We used Yoori to draw out Kris, expressing that she would be facing the highest punishment for treason against the pack. When Kris appeared, much to everyone’s surprise, he offered himself up in return for Yoori’s life. Yoori in the meantime has been begging to take the punishment herself so that her mate remain unharmed.”

 

Jongdae looked down at the blankets, shaking his head.

 

“Mate loyalty has no rival, I suppose.” He let out a short laugh. “But once Junmyeon saw that the two of them would really die for each other, he… he…”

 

Jongdae scratched the back of his head, as though still confused as to the logic of his words.

 

“He what?” You spoke quietly.

 

“Well,” Jongdae shrugged, pressing his lips into a thin line. “He pardoned them.”

 

You leaned back against the bedrest, taking in the news with what information you had gathered.

 

“Of course, Junmyeon put the fear of God in them, if they ever step foot into his territory again there wouldn’t be a second chance.” Jongdae’s tone became light. “And I’m positive they want to be anywhere but here right now.”

 

There was a prolonged silence.

 

“So… they won’t cause trouble?” You questioned softly.

 

Jongdae smiled. “We’ve already shown them we’re more than capable of handling any of their pathetic schemes. So believe me,” He leaned forward, placing a small kiss upon your forehead. “They won’t cause trouble for us any more.”

 

You sent Jongdae a gentle smile, glad more than anything else to be with him at this moment.

 

“Jongdae…” You treaded carefully, your gaze cast at your lap.

 

He hummed in response.

 

“I was wondering about something, it’s been bugging me for a while, and I-” You looked up at him. “I want you to answer honestly.”

 

Jongdae took a deep breath in, delicately picking up and holding one of your hands within his own.

 

“Ask away.”

 

You bit the inside of your cheek.

 

“That evening, when… right after kissing me, you mentioned something about me smelling like… like-”

 

“Lemongrass and french vanilla?” Jongdae’s expression became cheeky.

 

“…Yes.”

 

“It’s the same reason why I was able to smell you, track you, and locate you after you had been taken by Yoori.” His thumb rubbed gentle circles on the back of your hand. He looked down at it, smiling. “It’s also the reason I was able to tell you apart from Yoori’s scent when she framed you.”

 

“I… don’t understand.” You offered a half smile.

 

“Y’know,” Jongdae chuckled to himself, continuing to rub tender circles on your hand. “My older brothers always told me that finding your mate was like finding a scent that sends you into a state of pure, unadulterated ecstasy.” He paused, smiling at the thought of admitted what he had been wanting to since the moment he realized the truth.

 

“Personally, I had always hoped that, for me, that scent was of lemongrass and french vanilla.”

 

There was a long pause.

 

Slowly, Jongdae trailed his gaze up to meet yours.

 

To his utter surprise, instead of confusion, instead of anger, instead of disinterest or horror, he found your eyes to be brimming with tears. He leaned forward in an instant, using his thumb to wipe away the excess tears. He smiled, cupping your cheek and gazing lovingly into your trembling eyes. His smile was full of adoration, his eyes, relief.

 

Because deep down, you had felt that something was different about Jongdae. Something about him since the moment you kissed that set your heart on fire whenever he was near you. You had been lost and confused and waiting for someone to speak words that actually made sense to you in the midst of the chaos.

 

And Jongdae was speaking those words now.

 

Without a second’s hesitation, Jongdae dove in for a kiss. Prolonging it for as long as possible, his soft lips met your own with care and intent that you had never experienced before.

 

**“You’re my mate, (y/n).”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is!! Thank you so much to everyone who gave so much love to part one!! ^^ Thank you all again for being patient with my pneumonia! I hope this sequel is satisfactory!
> 
> Tomorrow I get my four wisdom teeth pulled, and I’ve never gotten so much as an IV before, so I’m a little nervous. But since I wont be able to write for long I worked the pre-dawn hours every night to bring you all an update! I love you all soooooo much!!
> 
> PS: If you want an epilogue, that can always be arranged~ 
> 
> ~Nunchi <3

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr [@nunchiwrites](https://nunchiwrites.tumblr.com)!!


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